Wagrien-Fehmarn FLAG

Area

The coastal and inland rural area of Wagrien-Fehmarn is located on the Baltic coast of Schleswig-Holstein. It covers the eastern part of the Wagrien peninsula and Fehmarn, the third biggest island in Germany. Fehmarn is linked to the mainland by the Fehmarnsund bridge and has the most used ferry connection for both the Germans and Danes to the nearby port of Rødby on the island of Falster in Denmark, lying on the Hamburg-Copenhagen axis.

Wagrien-Fehmarn is an “Aktiv-Region”, a status used in Schleswig-Holstein for territories implementing the EAFRD and also, in part, the EMFF-funded local development strategies (LDS). It is, therefore, both a LEADER LAG and a FLAG.

As the Wagrien-Fehmarn area is predominantly coastal, the eligible area for the FLAG is only a little smaller than the one for LEADER. For the 2014-2020 funding period, the FLAG has expanded its coverage to all coastal municipalities of the Aktiv-Region area.

In general, the FLAG area is strongly influenced by tourism, in particular by Baltic Sea coastal tourism at seaside resorts. Fishing is carried out by coastal boats in the Baltic Sea with cod, herring, sprat, sea trout and various flatfishes being the main target species. Some larger vessels from Heiligenhafen also operate in the Skagerrak, Kattegat and in the North Sea. Most of the catch is landed in Heiligenhafen and Fehmarn. However, the majority of the catch is sent unprocessed to auctions in the Netherlands and Denmark.

The challenges for the fisheries sector include the shortage and endangerment of fish stocks (including the eel), seasonal restrictions linked with the protection of the natural environment (Natura 2000) and with the types of gears allowed (gillnetting), the limited presence of fisheries and the progressive obsolescence of the fleet.

Type of area:

Coastal

Sea Basins:

Baltic Sea

Protected areas:

The area includes HELCOM Marine Protected Areas (Fehmarn West with Orther Bucht and Flügger Sand), other nature conservation areas, landscape protection and bird protection areas as well as Natura 2000 areas.

Population

66 859

Surface area (km²)

584

Population density

114

Total employment in fisheries

252

Fishing:

227

Aquaculture:

0

Processing:

25

FLAG strategy

The FLAG strategy was developed in connection with the integrated development strategy of the Aktiv-Region for LEADER.

The FLAG strategy pursues the following goals:

Improving the marketing of local products related to fish

Stronger linkage of the fisheries sector with fishing tourism

Better training and qualifications for the local actors, taking place in all municipalities of the FLAG area (The geographical coverage of the FLAG area has increased in comparison to the last period).

Better cooperation between the regional fishing industry and the municipalities

Funding

Total public budget allocated to the FLAG for 2014-2020:

329 411

EMFF:

280 000

MS co-financing:

49 412

Sources of co-funding:

The co-financing for the implementation of the strategy (projects) is provided by the municipalities, towns and the county. The federal land of Schleswig-Holstein provides the co-financing for running costs and animation (not included in the budget figures).

Project examples

“Local people buy their fish locally”: a website for marketing purposes, marketing campaign in local supermarkets, creation of stalls selling fish (e.g. building an historic smokehouse with a traditional oven as well as a restaurant and a shop);

Participation in culinary events / cooperation with the hotel & restaurant association and chefs, e.g. cooking courses by the sea (ports) with fresh fish and products;

Installation of “Fish Info huts” in the villages / ports were the cooking courses will take place, including the creation, installation or replacement of existing information panels with panels that have a common design.

An “East-Holstein Cookbook”.

“Fischlehrpfad”, a pedagogic trail on local fishing.

Developing and implementing the concept of a "Fish Ranger".

Bringing up the topic of the “life of a fisherman” in schools (also to promote the profession and raise the number of apprentices in order to preserve it from “extinction”).

Pesca-tourism initiative: Launch of an inclusive process with fishermen, local politicians and representatives, public authorities and tourism organisations which leads to a permission to have guests on vessels.

Calls for proposals

Projects can be presented on an ongoing basis to the decision-making body of the FLAG, the “Arbeitskreis Fischerei” which meets regularly as a working group. Project selection meetings are scheduled when needed.